Van Halen '86 #13
by Chris Deutsch
Title
Van Halen '86 #13
Artist
Chris Deutsch
Medium
Photograph - 35mm Photography
Description
“Proximity to Greatness” is what I’m calling this shot. And, you might be the first person other than me to ever see it. Brand new Eddie Van Halen is pretty rare these days, but this is exactly what you’re looking at.
I took this shot on July 12, 1986 at Colorado Sun Day #1 at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado. I was so close, I used a wide angle lens. My memory is that I had one foot on the stage, and one foot on the barrier, which was at least 6 feet off the ground. I had security guys walking underneath me in the pit. It was an experience I’ll never forget.
Van Halen was headlining a fantastic day that also featured Dio and BTO. It was their first tour with Sammy Hagar.
So, why is this a new shot? Pretty simple. Sometimes I’m looking through my negatives and something catches my eye. Next thing you know, almost 36 years after I took the picture, the negative is in the scanner. Sometimes it’s a gem. I think this truly is.
I love the look on Eddie’s face, the fact that he's playing his Frankenstrat, and the wide angle view with everything from his shoes to the stage lights cleanly in focus. I’m guessing I was no more than 8 feet away from him when I pressed the shutter button on my Nikon.
Uploaded
March 1st, 2022
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